Pettit



G. W. PETTIT.

GATE.

(No Model.)

No. 591,687. Patented Oct. 12,1897.

A TTOHNE Y8.

I dz

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

GEORGE WASHINGTON PETTIT, OF AMMA, WEST VIRGINIA.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 591,687, dated October12, 1897; Application filed June 1, 1897. Serial No. 639,015. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, GEORGE WASHINGTON PETTIT, of Amma, in the county ofRoane and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Gate,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved gate, moreespecially designed as a farmyard or garden gate, and which is simpleand durable in construction, self-closing, and arranged to move upwardon opening to free the bottom of the gate from snow and mud, the gatebeing also arranged to prevent animals from unlatching and opening thegate.

The invention consists principally of two latches arranged approximatelyat right angles one to the other and keepers adapted to be engaged bythe said latches and also standing at right angles to each other.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details andcombinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter andthen pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified form of theimprovement, and Fig. 4 is a face View of the keepers for the modifiedform shown in Fig. 3.

The gate A is formed by suitable standards and rails and is mounted toturn on and to slide vertically on a pivot B, secured in the ground orto adjacent fence-posts, as the case may be. On the gate A is pivoted ahorizontally-disposed latch 0, adapted to engage a keeper D, and on thesaid gate, at the free end thereof, is arranged a second latch E,disposed vertically and adapted to engage with its lower free end akeeper F, which, like the keeper D, is secured to the fence-post G. Thenotch in the keeper D for receiving the latch 0 extends longitudinally,while the notch in the keeper F for receiving the free end of the latchE is disposed vertically, so that on lifting the gate the latch E alwaysremains in engagement with its keeper F, so that dogs, hogs, and likeanimals getting under the gate and lifting the same cannot open it.latch O is preferably of the gravity kind, while the latch E ispreferably made in the form of'a spring arm, secured to the free end ofthe gate, as indicated in the drawings. The latch O is connected by arope or rod H to the peripheral'surface of a wheel I, journaled on thefree end of the gate and provided with a handle I for turning the wheel,so as to exert an upward pull on the rope or rod H to lift the latch Cout of engagement with the keeper D whenever it is desired to open thegate A, said latch 0 being also connected by a rope H with the free endof the latch E, so that when the latch O is lifted a pull is exerted bythe rope H on the free end i of the latch E to move the latter out ofengagement with its keeper F at the time the latch O is moved out ofengagement with its keeper D.

In order to render the gate self-closing, I provide the bottom rail ofthe gate near the pivot B with a roller J, adapted to travel on anincline K, set in the ground and connected with the adjacent fence postto hold it in place, as indicated in the drawings, the said.

incline K terminating in a level surface K, so that when the roller Jpasses upon this level surface at the time the gate A is swung wide openthe gate will remain in this position. Ordinarily, however, the gate isonly partly open, so that the roller J travels on the incline K only,and when the gate is released it will readily swing shut, owing to theroller J traveling down the incline K by the weight of the gate.

The gate illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is intended to open one way only,and the post G is for this purpose provided with a stop G, as indicatedin Fig. 2. When it is desired, however, to construct the gate to openboth ways, this stop'G is omitted, and the gate A has its latch Cengaging a keeper D, nailed to the inside of the post G the free end ofthe latch O terminating a short distance from the inner face of the saidpost. The other keeper F is formed with bevels on both sides of itsvertical notch, to permit of easy entrance 'of the free end of the latchE to the vertical notch. The keeper D is likewise beveled from its notchin opposite directions on the top surface of the keeper, as plainly Theindicated in Fig. 4. The roller J is mounted to travel on a doubleincline K extending on both sides of the gate, as indicated in Fig. 3.

Now it will be seen that by the arrangement described the gate is heldsecurely closed to prevent animals froinopening the gate, and at thesame time the gate is constructed to permit of conveniently opening itby authorized persons and to cause it to close automatically, as aboveexplained.

It is evident that by having the roller J traveling on the incline K thepivot 13 is re lieved of the strain or weight of the gate and allows thelatter to act as a brace for the adjacent post and the pivot to preventthe gate from saggin g.

Having thus fully described'my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. A gate provided with two latches arrangedapproximately at right angles one to the other, and fixed keepersadapted to be engaged by the said latches and having theirreceivingnotches standing at right angles to each other, substantiallyas shown and described.

2. A gate provided with a gravity-latch, a fixed keeper adapted to beengaged by the said latch, means for swinging the said latch open, aspring-latch held on the gate at right angles to the said gravity-latch,and a second keeper adapted to be engaged by the free end of the saidspring-latch,substantially as shown and described.

3. A gate provided with a gravity-latch, a fixed keeper adapted to beengaged by the said latch, means for swinging the said latch open, aspring-latch held on the gate at right angles to the said gravity-latch,a second keeper adapted to be engaged by the free end of the saidspring-latch, and means for connecting the said spring-latch with thesaid gravity-latch to open both latches simultaneously, substantially asshown and described.

GEORGE WASHINGTON PETTIT.

\Vitnesses:

GEORGE W. COOK, EVERT 000K.

